Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

James J Surman

Stuart C Salter

Paul Kenneth Dellock

Pietro Buttolo

Cornel Lewis Gardner

Annette Lynn Huebner

David Brian Glickman

James Stewart Rankin, Ii

Michael Musleh

Aaron Bradley Johnson

Stephen Kenneth Helwig

Satyanarayana Raju Vemulapati

Richard Gall

Matthew Anthony Majkowski

Harry Lobo

Jeffrey Singer

Christopher Anthony Danowski

Vichit Chea

Erick Michael Lavoie

Benjamin Yilma

Wei Xu

Scott Holmes Dunham

Kristin Ann Hellman

Kristopher Karl Brown

Chester Stanislaus Walawender

Bhavani Thota

Edward Joseph DeSmet

Todd Jared Konet

Joshua Greiner

Tom F Boettger

Alex Lince

Terry Lobsinger

Jeffrey A Wallace

Daniel Weckstein

Balbir S Grewal

Manfred Koberstein

Mahendra Somasara Dassanayake

Linh Ngoc Doan

Gary D Mullen

Talat Karmo

Michael James Whitens

Anthony Dwayne Cooprider

Steven J Antilla

Sleiman N Abdelnour

LaRon Michelle Brown

Gregory James Grudzinski

Noah Barlow Mass

Joseph Myszka

Stephen Ronald Tokish

Travis S Garland

Ronald M Lovasz

Ali Ammar

Yun Shin Lee

Steven Wayne Friedlander

David C Allen

John Matthew Teodecki

Terrence Joseph Wilson

Ulrich Stuhec

Dragos Maciuca

Khaled Omar

Carol C Kordich

Julian Lopacki

Diane Carole Snoeyink

Michael Masserant

Christine Boese

A vehicle console includes a trim ring disposed over a periphery of a housing. The trim ring includes a polymeric material and is electrically conductive and grounded. A proximity switch assembly is retained in the housing. The proximity switch assembly includes a proximity sensor proximate a sensing pad for generating an activation field. The sensing pad is proximate the trim ring.

Method of fabricating console with grounded trim ring

A vehicle sharing system includes a vehicle having interior transceiver modules associated with different passenger seating areas and a vehicle computing system (VCS) including a processor and a memory in communication with the modules and programmed to detect occupancy status of each seating area based on signals from the modules and to communicate the occupancy statuses to a remote server to facilitate scheduling of ride-sharing passengers for a specified seating area of the vehicle. The reserved seating location may be used to align the seating location/door with a passenger during pick-up, adjust vehicle accessory settings associated with the reserved seating location, and activate a visual indicator to direct the passenger to the assigned/reserved seating location.

Vehicle ride sharing system and method using smart modules

A vehicle includes a body having an uninterrupted side aperture that provides access to an interior passenger cabin. A front door is hingedly attached at a forward edge of the uninterrupted side aperture. The front door is selectively operable between front open and front closed positions. A rear door is hingedly attached at a rearward edge of the uninterrupted side aperture. The rear door is selectively operable between rear open and rear closed positions. A latching assembly is at least partially positioned within the body and configured to receive the front door in the front closed position and the rear door in the rear closed position. A sealing assembly is defined between a forward seal of the rear door and a rearward seal of the front door. The forward and rearward seals engage one another in a fully-closed position.

Door sealing and timing mechanism for use in coach door configuration for a vehicle

Console with grounded trim ring

A computer that includes a processor and memory storing instructions executable by the processor. The computer may be programmed to: determine feature-selection data; determine that a mobile device is within a proximity threshold of a vehicle; and in response to the determinations, control a vehicle display in accordance with the feature-selection data.

Displaying vehicle features

This disclosure relates to a method and system for an exterior display of a vehicle, such as an autonomous vehicle, configured to issue feedback prompts. An example method includes issuing a prompt via a human-machine interface on an exterior of a vehicle permitting an input indicative of an undesired condition of the vehicle.

Method and system for exterior vehicle display configured to issue feedback prompts

A system includes a processor configured to provide an informational report to a wireless device about a vehicle component associated with a BLUETOOTH low energy (BTLE) chip, affixed to a vehicle, when the wireless device is determined to be within a predefined proximity to the BTLE chip. This can include information such as operational and wear status, but also can be purely explanatory, as to what the function of the component is.

Method and apparatus for wireless proximity based component information provision

A vehicle includes a removable roof panel and an integrated handle and roof rack assembly mounted to the removable roof panel. The integrated handle and roof rack assembly is adapted to function both as a handle for installing or removing the roof panel and as a roof rack for achieving vehicle rooftop cargo storage.

Removable vehicle roof panels with integrated handle and roof rack assemblies

An apparatus includes a panel, a removable window and a latch assembly for securing the removable window to the panel. In one embodiment, a removable roof assembly for a motor vehicle includes a removable roof panel, a releasable locking feature that secures the removable roof panel to the motor vehicle, a removable window and a latch assembly. The latch assembly secures the removable window to the removable roof panel. The latch assembly includes a push button actuator to release the latch assembly and remove the removable window from the removable roof panel.

Apparatus and removable roof assembly for a motor vehicle

A computer is programmed to receive, via a vehicle wireless receiver, a wireless signal from a mobile device, and determine a presence of the mobile device within a distance of the vehicle. The computer is programmed to classify a movement of the mobile device based at least on the determined device presence, and actuate a vehicle component based on the determined device presence and the classified movement of the mobile device.

Vehicle proximity tracking

Tire wear detection apparatus and related methods are disclosed. An example vehicle includes a tire including a wear bar coupled thereto. The example vehicle also includes a light source to emit a light and means for directing the light to the tire. At least a portion of the wear bar is to glow when exposed to the light.

Tire wear detection apparatus and related methods

A switch assembly comprising a housing configured to operably couple to a trim panel and defining a cavity, a feedback device operably coupled to the housing and positioned within the cavity, a printed circuit board operably coupled to the feedback device, a proximity sensor operably coupled to a connector and configured to actuate the feedback device, and a light source operably coupled the printed circuit board and configured to luminesce in response to actuation of the proximity sensor. The trim panel comprises a panel substrate operably coupled to a backup layer, an icon layer positioned within the cavity and operably coupled to the backup layer, an outline positioned about a periphery of the backup layer, and a translucent panel skin bonded to a foam layer positioned over the panel substrate, wherein the panel skin stretches over the panel substrate and the backup layer.

Hidden switch assembly

A vehicular cargo restraint assembly includes a support platform. A plurality of panels are each movably coupled to the support platform. Each of the panels is independently movable between a first position wherein the panel is flat against the support platform, and a second position wherein the panel is offset from the support platform and configured to prevent the movement of cargo within a vehicle cabin.

Vehicular cargo retainer assembly

Growing community of inventors

Clinton Township, MI, United States of America

James J Surman